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The Hand of Providence
History The Hand of Providence is a recently-ascended demigod from the realm of Oustomia, having acquired her divine power from numerous different sources. The most important catalyst to her ascendance was the unfortunate liberation of Kronkite the First Titan and the divine power released from the demiplane he escaped from. To most who do not worship her, she is simply known as the mortal woman Zhi Wildmane. The town of Kaikin within the Ohanakoku Shengese People's Protectorate is the center of her worship, as it is the headquarters of what is both a military group and her burgeoning clergy, a group simply known as Zhi's Volunteers. Many of them rely on martial might over magical force, though she does count a small number of lesser clerics and paladins among her followers. Rank and Domains The Hand of Providence has relatively little divine power, as she cannot grant spells of greater power than level 3. She can currently grant her followers access to the Luck and Glory domains, with Heroism as her sole subdomain. Relationships The Hand of Providence has few friends among the divine ranks, having always focused more on her work with boots on the ground over rubbing shoulders with divinity and establishing allegiances. While Kurgess is unlikely to be aware of the Hand of Providence, the Hand possesses a deep-seated respect for the God of Self-Improvement and acquired her divinity by following his teachings. Her one criticism of his clergy is their passivity, as the Hand of Providence prefers a more forward method of dealing with threats to the innocent. As a mortal, the Hand of Providence praised Cayden Cailean's name often. While the pleasures of the flesh can easily lead to sloth and inactivity, she knows that without such pleasures, mortal races cannot flourish. The Hand of Providence herself is known to carry a flask of Godsbrew, Cayden Cailean's chosen drink. The Hand of Providence has great respect for Vretiel as one of the mighty Empyreal Lords, and is tentatively hopeful it may be possible to make peace with him. However, she also believes him to be overzealous. While she would prefer a diplomatic solution, she will fight even this lord of the Heavenly host to defend the innocent people of Oustomia. The Hand of Providence considers the Bright Lord something of a mentor, as well as an example deity aspire to be like. As their portfolios overlap to a degree, she also considers him a potential ally for when she rises to become a proper deity. It is not uncommon for larger temples to the Hand of Providence to hold a relief or stained glass window depicting the meeting between the two divine beings. Appearance There are a handful of different known depictions of the Hand of Providence. The most common is that of a humanoid figure, mostly featureless yet clearly feminine in shape. The figure is commonly clad in white or golden robes. The most distinctive features of this depiction are the tattoos usually covering its arms from the shoulders to the fingertips and the long black hair, almost like tendrils of ink, hanging down to its waist. The design of the tattoos changes by location, ranging from swirling patterns to twisting dragons to a floral design. The second-most common depiction of the Hand of Providence is that of a tiger, seated on its hind legs. Its right paw rests upon the floor with its claws extended, whereas the left paw is held up, clutching an earthen flask. The Doctrines of Providence Servants and Shrines Many of the Hand of Providence's faithful join her faith in rather impromptu ways. The Hand of Providence is somewhat of a 'guardian angel'-type deity; a whispered prayer in time of need, a desperate request for aid spoken when all other options are exhausted. In return, the Hand of Providence grants a touch of luck to turn the tide in her faithful's favored. Many of such touched individuals dedicate themselves to her worship in the aftermath. The hard core of the Hand of Providence's worshipers are based out of the town of Kaikin, which the Hand of Providence calls her home. As her faith grew from simple hero worship to a touch of the true divine, so too did many of her followers go from loyal soldiers to faithful worshipers. As a result, her faith is heavily martially-inclined; many of those who now call themselves the followers of the Hand of Providence were once soldiers, much like their goddess. Her faithful are often disciplined for much the same reason, but also because the doctrine of the Hand of Providence teaches that the law is to be held in almost as high a regard as the moral concept of good. Without law, there can be no society to protect. Her clergy numbers relatively few clerics, instead containing primarily martially-aligned faithful such as warpriests and paladins. Several of her warpriests identify themselves as Arsenal Chaplains; though the Hand of Providence does not provide the War domain, she nonetheless advocates fighting evil and injustice. Similarly, many of her followers eschew the use of heavy armor, preferring more agile methods of protection. Some attempt to mix the divine magic they draw from her with the martial skills the Hand of Providence herself originally became known, becoming Enlightened Paladins. The followers of the Hand of Providence are much like their goddess and appear where needed; they will march day and night to turn the tide of a battlefield, and will send out the call to arms even if the day is dark and all hope seems lost. They believe that even the smallest light shines bright in the dark of night, that even the smallest effort can make the world a better place. The teachings of the Hand of Providence do not encourage recklessness, yet also point out that to die for a cause a person is passionate about can be a fulfilling end to one's life. Risks need to be taken and sacrifices must be made, but in moderation - it's better to live and fight another day than it is to sacrifice oneself uselessly. The Hand of Providence has few temples but many shrines. Such small centers of worship are often raised in places where the Hand of Providence's touch was felt; battlefields where good triumphed over evil despite the odds, clinics where lives were saved in miracle operations, and other places where the people believe the goddess's influence turned a bleak situation into one of survival or victory. Favoured Weapon The body is the greatest tool a man has, according to the teachings of the Hand of Providence. Action without skill and courage is risky - it can lead to positive results, but at the same time it can lead to a situation coming to a worse conclusion than if there had been no action at all. The Hand of Providence teaches that if one hones their body, their mind will follow suit by nature. While her followers are not discouraged from using manufactured weapons, the favored weapon of her faith is thus the body itself. Favoured Animal Large cats like the tiger are signs of power, nobility and skill, all values held in high regard by the Hand of Providence. A tiger acts decisively and knows when to take risks, and through this behavior has earned its place as apex predator. Holidays The First Step: A holiday on the 23rd of Abadius, the date that marked the start of the Hand of Providence's mysterious pilgrimage when she was yet a demigod. Pilgrims of her faith usually begin their own pilgrimages on this date. The day is considered a new beginning for many things. Knights and paladins who serve her take their oaths on this day, and it's a common day for both confessions and weddings. The Flood: A holiday that takes place on the 14th of Pharast. It's a day where those in service of the Hand of Providence can feel her presence even more strongly than usual, an echo of her meeting with the Bright Lord. Such inspiration is channeled in different ways, yet usually leads to positive developments of all kinds, ranging from great deeds of heroic proportions, to the creation of great works of art, to the speaking of great wisdom.Category:Deities